How long?
by Sydney Blake
Summary: WARNING! CHARACTER DEATH! This is set somewhere where neither the halfblood prince nor the deathly hallows exist. Draco and Hermione love each other, but their love is not accepted. They search a way out. Rather gloomy. Please Read and Review! DHr OneShot


I once wrote a story, under a different pen name. The account got deleted, which was my very own fault, but ever since then, the story I consider my greatest, is lost. To be honest, I cannot remember what the penname has been, DeviAngel it may have been, but I don't think it was. Could have been Sydney Malfoy, though.

Actually, I also cannot remember what the story was called. But I remember the plot and I remember two lines, and it hurts my heart to think that these two lines may still exist in my head, but nowhere else and that therefore no one will be able to learn from them like I do.

Therefore, I'm rewritting the story, and renaming it. You may even say that I'm going to write a one shot based on another, long-lost, one shot. So here it comes and I hope it gives you what it gave me, whatever that may be.

I also have to say that, if you know my former one shots, you may find some lines very similar to ones I used before. It's maybe going to be some kind of 'Best Of One Shots One Shot', but maybe it is not.

This could, by the way, only have happened if the things that happened after the fifth book had not happened, if you get what I mean. But now I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Hermione stood on the sill surrounding the Astronomy tower, the tips of her Mary Janes surrounded by nothing but cold night's air while her heels rested on the firm stone of the tower. 

She stared down into the night and it was dark enough for her not to be able to see the ground, which she knew all too well, because she came here often these times. Anyone who would have stepped onto the tower that very moment would have screamed that she should come down there, that life was worth living and she should not throw it away, except for one.

Draco Malfoy stepped through the wooden door and did not even blink as he saw Hermione in that dangerous position, but not because he did not care: He cared very much these times, the only thing was, that he was used to her standing up there.

"Mya, one day they'll see you standing up there and they will send you to Madam Pomfrey to get your brains fixed"

"I'm not crazy"

"I know you're not, but explain that to people. Explain that to Potthead and Weasel"

Hermione turned, sighing "Draco, please. Don't call them that. They're my..." She hesitated, then sat down on the sill, sighing.

"Yes, that's right. You still defend them, even if you do not dare call them 'friends' any longer. Potter may be the Chosen One, the supposed-to-be saviour of the wizarding world, but he's just as arrogant and single minded as..."

"Draco, please, we've been through that. Yes, they always argue that you called me... those things. And they do not think people may change. But still, we used to be friends"

Draco shoved his fists into the pockets of his grey trousers, pulling his shoulders up and sulking "Used to be, that's right. They changed, Herms. Towards you, anyway. Who's here now with you, other than me? I love you more than anything, but we cannot be together in this world, you know that"

Hermiones eyes narrowed, her voice sounded sharp in Dracos ears "What do you mean? You going to leave me all alone in this mess, want me to crawl back into the common room and beg for their forgiveness? I won't Draco, I have done nothing wrong. We have done nothing wrong"

Draco sighed, then stepped next to her, looking down the tower, hands still in his pockets "I have done everything wrong that I possibly could, but that's not the point here, that's not what I mean. What I mean is..." he glanced at her for he fraction of a second, unsure how to go on "Well, I just mean that you need to be free. I don't want you to depend on me just because everyone turned their back at you only because you chose to... to love me"

Hermione smiled again, carressing the blonde's cheek, looking down at her shoes. They were polished, shining black. Her knee-length socks were white as snow, then came a bit of her naked knee and then her grey school skirt, matching Dracos trousers. Over that came her blouse that looked very much like Dracos shirt. The only thing that really seperated them were the ties, hers in red and gold and his in green and silver.

"I never chose to fall in love with you, Draco. I just fell. The only thing I chose was not to stand up and just walk away. I'm going to be with you, whatever it takes."

Draco pulled himself up on the sill, standing there just like Hermione had done before, looking down, hands in his pockets again.

There was silence for a while, then voices from behind the door to the tower "Harry, if she's up there again, with HIM, then I will..." "Ron, it's no use, she won't listen, you know that" "We will have to make her listen then, Ginny" "I never thought it would have to come to this..." Hermiones heart jumped, for she was sure Ginny would tell the boys to shove off now, let her be. Ginny was her friend, after all "...I thought she'd come to her senses soon enough..." She felt betrayed. She would have sworn that Ginny understood...

She felt something strange trickle down her neck, Draco mumbled "Don't move" and a mere second later the door swung open to reveal Ron, who gave the tower a short glance "They're not here" "Maybe she has come to her senses after all?" "Yeah, or they just moved elsewhere... Shall we search in the dungeons, then?" "Nah, let's go back to the Common Room. She's probably in her room and just didn't answer because she fell asleep" "Yeah, there she will be, goo' ol' Herms, probably fell asleep on some book"

When they had disappeared, Draco lifted the Disillusionment Charm again, still staring down the tower. Hermione bit her lip, then joined him

"You know what I thought before you arrived?"

"'I wish he'd hurry'?"

Hermione smiled a slightly insecure smile "Apart from that"

"Dunno"

She stepped sideways, away from him, and spread her arms "I thought how easy it could be... Stretching your arms... Lifting yourself on tip toes" Now the tips of her shoes touched the stone while her heels where surrounded by thin air "and then just letting yourself fall over, your arms spread as if they were wings..." She lifted herself higher, slightly moving her shoulders forward, over the rim of the tower, but pulled back in the very last fraction of a second, standing on secure ground again.

Draco gave her a sideways glance, hesitating, but eventually pulling his hands out of his pockets and stretching his arms. His fingertips brushed Hermiones and he mumbled "Stretching your arms, lifting yourself on tiptoes" Action accompanied his words "and then letting yourself fall over... And then?"

"Then, Draco, there would be freedom. We could be together, after all."

Draco pulled Hermione into a kiss, there tongues not battling but dancing, there hands not groping but caressing. When they pulled apart again, they both had a fire in their eyes that told the other their decision. They turned towards the night, looking up at the stars "Draco?"

"Mya?"

"How long will it take them to find us?"

"As long as it takes them to notice we're absent"

Draco took Hermiones hand into his, smiled reassuringly at her and faced the night again "Stretching your arms... lifting yourself onto the tip of your toe... and then just letting yourself fall over..."

Hermione closed her eyes as her feet left the stone "Freedom"

* * *

The actual lines that are always present in my head are

"How long would it take them to find me?"

"As long as it takes them to notice you're absent", but I do not think that changes the meaning, does it?

I very much hope you enjoyed! I did, even if it is... well, sad.

It would be great if you reviewed, but please be kind: English is not my mother tongue, and while I'm writing only every now and then I have nobody to correct this One Shot for me, so constructive criticism would be great. Thanks a lot.

Hugs and Kisses,

Sydney


End file.
